Method of and apparatus for supplying granular material



May' 26, 1942. I K. G. KUTCHKA METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING GRANULAR MATERIAL Filed Ap riI '1940 2 Sheets-Sheet grame/waw May 26, 1942. K. G. KUTCHKA METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING GRANULAR MATERIAL Filed 'April 11,. 1940 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Patented May 26, 1942 STATES i m'rnon OF AND Arrm w ING I ;3

Karl G. Kutclka, Wilkinsbnrg, Pa., 'assignor to Pittsbrgl Plato Glass* Company, Allegleny County, Pa., a corpor'ation oi Penrsylvania Application April 11, reat, setin Ne; azaoeo (Ci. ta-st) ro caims.

` related to the invention disclosed in the applications of Howard L. Halbach, et al., Serial No. v

3l8,878, filed February 14, 1940, and Ser. No. 329,096, filed April 11, 1940.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved method of supplying in blanket form a plurality of stratified layers of granular material upon a molten bath.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method of supplying in blanket form a plurality of superposed layers of different forms of granular glass forming batch upon a molten glass bath. l r' i Another object of the invention' is to provide an improved method of supplying concurrently superposed layers of granular batch and cullet upon a molten glass batch and in such manner as to insure a blanket of the superposed layers upon the bath. I

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus for supplying superposed layers of glass forming material upon a glass bath.

In one form of the invention, glass forming material is supplied in the form of superposed layers, such as materials in the form of sand, soda ash, etc., mixed according to conventional glass making formula, constituting one layer, and crushed or broken glass known as cullet, constituting another layer. These materials in granular form are fed uniformly 'to provide a relatively thin blanket of material beginning at the entrance end of the fumace and maintain-' ing such blanket substantially in its thin layer or blanket form as it is moved iarther into the tank and progressively melted After the material in this thin layer form has been fed into the tank, the fuel flames\ and the heat radiated from surrounding heated refractories causes a fritting or sintering of the upper layer surface and this action insures a coherentrelati'on among the particles of the upper side of the granular blanket. Whatever batch-or atmospheric agitation that may tend to occur from progressively* into the molten bath it'serves as a merging medium between the bath and the upper layer of raw batch material. Hence, the stratified blanket of cullet and raw batch material is uniformly and progressively incorporated in the molten bath,

and the spreading of the material over a wide v area' relative to its thickness provides for increased speed in melting and at lower temperatures as compared with methods heretofore pro= posed.

In the drawings: v

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary diagrammatic plan o! a tank inustrating the method of feeding granular material; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken substantially along the line II--II of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of Operating parts of an apparatus employed in practicing the method described; and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section taken substantially along the line IV-IV of Fig. 3.

In practicing the invention a glass melting tenk or furnace 20 is provided with an entrance extremity 22 which is almost as wide as the body of. the tank. During its operation the tank contains a bath of molten glass 25 which is maintained in molten state by means of flames from suitable uel fed through ports 26 in the tank walls 2?. The. tenk includes a roof 28 supported upon the 2 walls 21 according to well known methods of construction. In one form of apparatus known as a regenerative type of tenk, the flames are played over the surface of the bath alternately at proper intervals from opposite sides of the tank. Ordinarily tanks of this general type are operated continuously and the molter bath moves toward the exit extremity 29 from which glass can be drawn in sheet form. r

A rear vertical wall 33 is erected across the entrance end of the tank and is provided with a lower horizontal section tt which has its-lower surface so positioned as to be spaced in parallel relation only a short distance above the upper surface of the molten bath. suitable coolers '35 and 3% are disposed along the outer-vertical side of the wall and along its horizontal section 36.

The particular construction of this vertical sectional wall does not constitute per se a part of the invention claimed herein. The outside or rearside or edge of the .horizontal section ta sup=- porting the cooler 38- is located materially inwardly or iorwardly of the plane oi the rear bath retaining wall G@ of the tank.

A plural layer blanket 33, containing a lower' layer 35 o cullet and an npper layer ti? oi' raw batch material containing silica or send, soda a' etc., is 'fed uniformly upon the upper surface of the molten bath adjacent the rear end wall 40 and the blanket so formed on the sur-- tremity oi' the tank, and. the replenishing or` incoming blanket is entirely melted approximately by the time it reaches the location of the line 46, indicated in Fig. 1. the foam line, and in response to heat applied in the tank the glass bath reaches substantially its maximum temperature in the vicinity of this line. such maximum temperature is maintained over a limited area as the bath moves forwardly and is gradually cooled substantially to conform to the temperature required in drawing sheet glass at the exit end of the tank. The unmolten or partially melted blanket assumes the shape indicated at 41 in this figure, wherein, it will be apparent that the width and thickness of the blanket diminishes gradually as it passes farther This area is known as 2,'284,398 y 4 i 4 supplied in the hopper 50 and a batch of crushed provide for the passage of the cullet from the hopper SI to the front edge of the plate 64. The upper plate 63 forms the bottom of the hopper 50\ and the rear portion of the lower plate 64, which projects a considerable distance rearwardly beyond the upper plate, constitutes the botinto the tank until the batch, before it reaches the exit end of the tank, is merged into the bath in uniformly melted state.

In this manner the maximum area of each name from the heating fuel comes in contact,

with the upper surface of the blanket to provide maximum heat to this surface with a minimum expenditure of fuel. The batch which passes across the'space between the rear bath retaining wall 40 and the outer or rear edge of the horizontal section 34 is relatively cool on its upper side. although the hot molten g'lass bath 'is unpushing it farther into the tank.

This blanket of material thus fritted is in proper condition to receive the fuel flames thereover without danger of agitating the batch particles or raisingdust there'from.` The atmospheric pressure in the tank. that is, inside or forwardly of the wall section- 33, 15 substantially neutral, and since the lower side of the horizontal section 34 is in close proximity to the blanket passing' underneath it, there will be no appreciable loss of heat at the charging end of the tank.

The blanket of batch between the bath retaining wall 40 and the outer edge of the horizontal section 34 prevents the loss of heat from the glass bath therebeneath.. Likewise, the blanket extending a consider-able distance into the tank insures maintenance of heat below itwhile, at the same time, presenting the maximum area for contact 'with the heating flames. These factors operate to reduce the fuel consumption,

as well as to increase the efliciency of the In Operating one form of mechanical construction for feeding batch material in blanket mixed raw batch 53 of sand, soda ash. etc, is

tom of the hopper. 5l. Therear wall of each hopper is provided with a lower inclined plate shield 14 .and an upper inclined plate shield 'Il having pivotal'supports 18 and 19, respectively. along their upper portions. The upper plate is disposed at a sharper incline than the lower plate and its front edge rides upon the front portion of the lower plate shield 14 which is bent down- .otally carrying the shields.

The carrier 60 is Suspended for lateral swinging movement by means of parallel links which have pivotal connections 01 at their upper endssecuring them to the hopper structure, and at their lower ends they have pivotal connections 88 securing them to the carrier '00 adjacent the front and rear extremities thereof. These links are equal in length and are so arranged that the plates 03 and 64 of the carrier Suspended thereby are maintained in substantially horizontal position, although their levei varies slightly in connection with the arcs of swinging movement about the pivotal connections 01. Oscillatably driven pivota links !0 are connected to the rear portion of the 'carrier for osciliatably swinging the letter. The driving mechanisni disclosed in the application of Joseph H. Redshaw, serial No. 329,089, filed April 11, 1940, is suitable for Operating the carrier. A This type of mechanism includes an'oscillatable lever !I that has an upper pivotal connection 93 securing it to the rear end of the link and an intermediate pivotal connection 94 adjustably carrying the lever upon a support 05. The lower end of the lever e has a pivotal connection 9! securing it to one end of a'pitman !00 which has at its other end a pivotal connection |0| securing it to a crank arm !03 of a horizontally disposed shaft l04. suitable bearings I 05 in the support 95 rotatably support the shaft l04. "Sprocket and chain gear-ing !01, I 00 and !09 transmit power from a conventional reduction gearing unit |l0 which' is driven by a motor I The carrier unit 00, including both plates 63 and 64, is swingable substantially horizontally across the entrance end. of the tank which is substantially coincidental with the`discharge opening SS in the front wall of the hopper 50. A similar discharge opening 61 is provided in the front wall of the rear hopper il. The speed of the swinging 'action of the unit 60 is relatively slow and the carrier is virtuallyfree of vibration, or v sudden or jerky movement. When the carrier the front hopper se restm thei-een, then forward horizontal movement. of. the plat carries with it a predetermined amount of batch in layer form. The latter batch vis then disposed in a position immediately overhanging the surface of the molten bath 25' and the batch in the hopper E@ drops down 'upon the rear portion of the plate sa behind the batch which has been carried forward.

The same kind of operation occurs with reference to the cullet in the hopper M. Howeve in 'order to provide for concurrent feeding oi' the cullet and raw batch material the hopper Bl is filled first and the carrier e& subjected to preiiminary operation until the cullet has been moved forwardly upon the plate 04, through the space between the plates 63 and 64 to the front edge of the plate 64.

- In swinging the carrier rearwardly from the position shown in full lines of Figs. 2 and 3, that is, by withdrawing the 'front edge of the carrier from its position above the bath, the layers 41 and :85 can not also be carried rearwardly because the space previously occupied by the materlal of these `layers will have been filled bythe batch and cullet dropping behind them in the hoppers. The front edge of the plate 63 is offset rearwardly from the front edge of the plate t. Hence.- by withdrawing the carrier St, the cullet 54 begins to drop directly upon the surface of the batch from the front edge ot the plate sa the cullet to form the layers te and di. The blanket thus formed in superposed layers oi cuilet and raw batch is spread or distributed uniformly along the area cor'esponding in width to the distance from the forward to the rear limits' .timed in such manner as to provide for uniform E --invention or from the' scoe of the' appended claims. 4

.I claim: v

i. A method of supplying granular material upon a molten bath which comprises depositing a plural layer blanket of meltable granular ma'- .terials of diiferent types substantially across the width 'of the bath and moving said blanket in stratified form along the bodv'of the bath, and melting the blanket of material as it moves farther along the bath. l

2. A method 'of supplying granular material upon a molten glass bath which comprises successively supporting superposed layers of cullet and the raw batch 53 also begins to drop upon i feeding of the raw batch and cullet at whatever so rate that is desired.

The size of the opening in the front wall oi' each hopper is controlled by means of an upright' gate "5 -of sheet metal that is vertically slidable.

in a guide lil carried by the front wall of the hopper, and suitable adjusting rods ,i I! are disposed through the brackets ne on the hopper,

and connected to the gate for the purpose of adjustment by manipulation of nuts !26 carried on the rods on opposite sides of the brackets.

In operating the type of glass melting tank described heroin, one or more glass' sheets can be drawn, and the amount oi batch fed by each stroke of the lever Qi and carrier e@ can be regulated according to the amount of glass drawn` from the tahir. Thiis an exact balance between the feeding and drawing operations canbe maintained and the level of the glass bath maintained constant.

Although practical construction and methods illustrative of the invention have been shown and described in detail, it will be apparent te those skilled in the art' that the invention is not so limited, but that various changes can be made and raw glass-making batch in superposed relation above a portion of the bath,` relieving support of the superposed layers to permit them to fall in the same superposed relatlon upon the' 3. A method of supplying granular material upon a molten glass bath which comprises, forming a blanket' of cullet and raw 'siass-making batch in superposed layers upon the glass bath from its marginal portion inwardly toward the` central bath portion, progressively melting the material by playing flames upon the major portion of the'blanket surface, and continuously relenishn' g the blanket as it is melted by the emes. 4

4.' A method of supplying granular glass-making material upon a molten bath of a melting tank having entrance and exit extremities which comprises distributing a relatively thin layer of cullet substantially across the width of the tank at the entrance extremity thereof, distributing a layer of raw glass making batch upon the layer of cullet to form a stratifled blanket, progressively moving the stratifled blanket into the tank and melting it into the bath and uniformly replenishing the layers of cullet and raw batch in stratiiled blanket-forn and according to the rate of meltingthereof in the bath.

5. In-a batch feederhaving a bath-:containing receptacle disposed adiacent thereto 'for receiving on the bath granular batch in layer form. a device having aplurality of superpo'sed batch supports movable forwardly and rearward-` ly into and out o! position above the bath to carry forwardly layers of batch on said supports, and means for depositing the batch in superposed layers on the bath from the forward exceptacle and extcnding substantially across the r receptacle width, a reciprocable member constituting the bottom of each hopper and movable inwardly to a position directly overhanging the bath to carry batch into the receptacle, each hopper having a member disposed upon the'upper surface of each reciprocable member and preventing rearward movement of the batch material therebeyond, one of the reciprocable mem-.

bers dening a partition separating the batch from adjacent hoppers while such batch is supported upon the members.

7. In a batch ieeder having s bath-containing therein without departing from the spirit oi the receptacle disposed acaeent thereto for receivmeans suspending the device in swin'ging relation to provide for its forward and 'rearward movement, and means for depos'iting the batchmaterial in stratified blanket form from the forward extremities of said supports as the latter move rearwardiy. I

8. In a batch feeder having a bath-containing receptacle disposed adjacent thereto 'for receiving. on the bath granular batch in layer form, front and rear hoppers opening into the recep- 4 .tacle 'and extending substantiall'y across the re-. ceptacle width, a swingabie member having upper and lower relativeiy ofiset piates oons tituting the bottoms of the hoppers and swingable in- Wardiy to a position directly overhanging the 9. In a batch feeder having a bath-containing receptacie disposed adjacent thereto for receiving on the bath granular batch in layer form, a substantially horizontally 'disposed support arranged along one marginal portion of thereceptacle andrepeatedly swingable over the edge of the latter in close proximity thereto, said support having upper and lower plates deflning a batch receiving passage between them, means for supplying batch material separately to each piate to be carried by the iatter into the receptacle, parallel suspension members supporting said support to form a swing, and means for repeatedly feeding the batch from the plates in side b'y side stratified layers as the support repeatediy swings in a dire'ction away from the receptacle;

10. A method' of supplying granular batch upon a moiten bath which comprises depositing bath to Carry batch material into the receptacle,

said piates defining between them a passage communicatng with one of the hoppers, and

means for depositing the batch from the forward edges of the piates and in superposed layers upon the bath asthe' plates are `moved rearwardly.

a piural layer blanket of different types ot grannular batch materials' upon a bath surface, moving said blanket in stratified formaiong the body sheet bath, and successively melting the strata of the blanket beginning with the top stratum the blanket moves along the bath.

KARL G. KUTCHKA. 

